Rofiat Lawal, the abducted National Youth Service Corp member, kidnapped along the Benin-Ore Expressway on Tuesday, has regained freedom after her family paid a ransom of N1.1m.
Lawal was kidnapped while going to Ibadan, Oyo State from Benin, Edo State for her primary assignment.
The abductors had initially demanded N20 million ransom, but later reduced the ransom to N5 million after appeals by the parents.
Agbakwara, a friend to Lawal, has however, said the abducted lady was released on Saturday morning after the payment of N1.1 million ransom
He wrote in a Facebook post: “In the early hours of Friday, the kidnappers pressured us, warning that if we failed to meet their demands, we should not expect her return.
“In desperation, I reached out to everyone I could, her colleagues in school, the Muslim association, her friends from her hometown, my fans, and her family.
“Through the collective efforts and generosity of so many, we were able to raise N1.1 million, which was sent at 4:20 pm on Friday to an account provided by the kidnappers.
“The recipient, Isaac Ayo, claimed that his sister had also been kidnapped and assured us he would deliver the ransom alongside his own.
“For hours, we anxiously waited. Finally, at around 10 pm, we received the long-awaited call: they had been released and taken to the hospital.
“This morning, we got another call confirming that Rofiat was on her way home, and the others had also safely returned to their families.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed, shared the news, and tagged the necessary authorities. Your support made this possible.”.
